Will quit politics if charges proved: Gadkari

published on February 28, 2014

Nagpur: BJP ex-president Nitin Gadkari and party candidate from Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency has picked the gauntlet thrown by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which has accused him of corruption and being hand in glove with NCP leaders in irrigation scam.

“I will take sanyas from politics if even one of the charges hurled at me is proved beyond doubt,” said Gadkari. He was addressing hundreds of party workers who braved unseasonal showers on Friday morning to receive him at the airport as he returned from Delhi after being nominated for the elections.

Meanwhile, in New Delhi, a court issued notice to AAP chief and Delhi ex-chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in a defamation suit filed by Gadkari. AAP has named Gadkari among top 73 most corrupt politicians of the country following which the BJP leader filed a slander case against Kejriwal for levelling unsubstantiated charges that were aimed at defaming him.

AAP has already declared their party’s state coordinator Anjali Damania would take on Gadkari in the Lok Sabha elections. Addressing the party workers, Gadkari tried to dismiss the allegations. Without even naming Damania or AAP, Gadkari said: “Democracy gives freedom of speech. But that does not mean one can hurl baseless and false allegation irresponsibly with a design to ruin anyone’s public life,” said Gadkari. “I promise you that I will quit politics even one of the charges of corruption against me is proved,” he stressed.

City mayor Anil Sole and BJP city president Krishna Khopde were among those who spoke on the occasion. The BJP has already enrolled over 3.5 lakh members in the city and is hoping that each of them would be instrumental in influencing two votes in Gadkari’s favour to ensure his win. Rajya Sabha member Ajay Sancheti and MLA Sudhakar Deshmukh, who has been made local in-charge for the campaign, have started work in right earnest for Gadkari.

With Congress’ sitting MP Vilas Muttemwar’s renomination almost certain now, Nagpur would provide a very interesting contest. For Muttemwar it will be the eight time in Lok Sabha elections, but Gadkari would be contesting the first major direct election of his political career. Ironically, AAP’s Damania who is least fancied could decide the outcome as the damage she deals to traditional votes of the other two candidates could swing the result.

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